Alexander MacTíre
Lord Alexander is the head of House MacTíre, one of the houses in service to House Boarhart. He is the only son of Lord Angus MacTíre, and is a skilled swordsmen and strategist – a trait that has allowed him to become one of the most feared military leaders in the Boarhart Lands. He is intense, harsh, and has no patience for foolishness, but is not an unreasonable man and is willing to sit down and listen to rational discourse. This levelheadedness has allowed House MacTíre, and the people who live under its banner to enter an age of prosperity it has never known. However, this resent climb in status has earned Alexander a reputation among the other Lords. Prior to becoming Lord, House MacTíre of Denbrooke was one of the lesser houses in the Boarhart Lands, and one of the least respected. His father was a violent drunkard, known for taking out raiding parties to prey on small villages, only to piss away anything of value obtained on ale and whores. As such, much of the responsibility for seeing to taxes, rationing food stores for winter, etc. fell to Alexander, who had been a studious lad since his earliest days. One night, just as the growing season had begun, a band of scoundrels crept through and salted the fields. After investigating, Alexander found an individual from one of the villages that said they had seen one of the culprits wearing the crest of House Grauwulf. Furious, Angus demanded recompense of Lord Wilhelm Grauwulf, who scoffed these accusations aside, saying “what proof do you have? Run back to your den of debauchery, Mongrel, and remove your mange from my home.” Angus went to King Rupert immediately after, and demanded he force House Grauwulf to pay for the damages done to his House. Now, House Grauwulf was well respected and powerful house in the Boarhart Lands, and Wilhelm had no proof to back up these accusations. Furthermore, House MacTíre had become increasingly less reputable over the years, so King Rupert told him to deal with matter himself. Angus immediately rode back home – seething with rage – and order his men to arms. Despite Alexander’s protests, his father rode out immediately to siege Greyback Hall. The siege lasted less than an hour, as House Grauwulf quickly broke the disorganized and spent MacTíre ranks. Defeated, Angus fled with the remains of his forces to lick his wounds. Following his defeat, any respect Lord Angus may have had was lost, and the other lords openly began mocking the entire house. These insults burnt Angus inside, but they stirred up an icy fury within Alexander like a raging blizzard. Alexander gathered together every able-bodied man and woman, and conscripted them into the army. Homes were torn down, and turned into siege engines, and every last bit of metal was gathered to forge weapons and armor. His forces equipped, Alexander left the still barren fields of his home, and marched on Greyback Hall. He rode out to meet the waiting Lord Grauwulf, saying that he would repay House MacTíre for the damages done with gold, or with blood, but the debt would be paid. Just as he had done with his father, Lord Grauwulf mocked the young Alexander, who had only just turned 17. “That mongrel father of yours challenged my House and fled with his tail between his legs. Give this game up and return home or you may not prove to be so lucky, whelp.” Now, Alexander knew of Greyback Hall, and its defenses. It was one of the most well-built and defendable castles in the Boarhart Lands; besieging it would take weeks, potentially months. However, he was also familiar with Lord Grauwulf, and his family, and knew of their pride and over confidence, and of common tactics they’d used in previous battles. He had also taken the time to become familiar with the terrain and geography of the area. Using the near-by wooded areas, and some well-placed archers, Alexander managed to devastate the Grauwulf cavalry, which was then quickly taken care of by polearm infantry. He then employed a combination of hit-and-run-tactics and guerilla warfare to overwhelm the enemy forces. Out maneuvered, and suddenly out matched, Lord Grauwulf ordered a retreat back to Greyback Hall. Battle won or no, Alexander knew his forces did not have the resources to maintain a siege for an extended period of time. So he ordered two of his most trusted knights to infiltrate Greyback Hall under cover dark the night prior to open the gates and allow his forces in. While the Grauwulf forces were focused on the siege weapons at the front, Alexander brought the majority of his army through the back. After a brief skirmish, the castle was taken after a siege lasting only 4 hours. The following morning, Wilhelm Grauwulf and all his sons and kin were brought before Alexander. Having interrogated every surviving soldier, he discovered that the culprits behind the ruin of the planting season had been the eldest son of Wilhelm, and several of his close companions. He ordered that the companions were to be hanged from the outer walls of the castle for the entire kingdom to see. Wilhelm’s son, however, was thrown to the wolves kept by House Grauwulf, while his father watched as he was torn apart. Wilhelm was then thrown naked into the dungeon to remain for the rest of his days, and Alexander claimed Greyback Hall and all the lands under its rule in the name of House MacTíre. Horrified, the other lords of the Boarhart lands called for the removal of House MacTíre, and the execution of Alexander; however, King Rupert refused these wishes, as he himself had told House MacTíre to deal with issue themselves. As he had decreed it so, the MacTíre claim to Greyback was legitimate. Denbrooke castle was left to sink into the muck, and the entirety of the MacTíre house was uprooted to Greyback Hall. Angus MacTíre was thrilled by the success of his son; however, upon arrival at Greyback Hall, he was not greeted with joy but instead by his son glaring down at him from upon the throne and a company of armed knights. When asked what the meaning of this was, Alexander responded only with, “you will abdicate your title and rank, and you will kneel to me as the head of House MacTíre.” Angered by this insolence, Angus ordered the knights to seize his traitorous son, and throw him in the dungeon. Not a soul moved. Alexander only stared at him, unblinking. Angus began to look about the chamber with the same expression as a deer surrounded by a pack of wolves. His gaze remained fixed on his father, unwavering. Alexander said only, “take him.” The knights seized their former lord without hesitation, and dragged him away kicking and screaming to the dungeon. That would be the last time Alexander would ever lay eyes on his father. Since his rise in rank, Alexander has proven to be a skilled ruler, and his knack for combat and strategy has made him a valuable asset to the Boarhart military forces. This prowess on the battlefield has earned him the respect of King Rupert, for whom he has become a tactical advisor. Though he is just and fair in his rule, he is viewed with an air of fear due to his brutal tactics, for more than one house has learned the hard way the truth behind the new motto of House MacTíre. “A debt to a wolf will be paid in blood.”